Thattekad Bird Sanctuary - Best Bird Sanctuary in India

At a distance of 60 km from Ernakulam, Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary located in Thattekad is one of the best bird sanctuaries in India. Spread across 25 sqkm at the foothills of the Western Ghats, the sanctuary lies across the Periyar river. The literal meaning of Thattekad is ‘flat forest’. The topography mostly contains long running plains adorned with continuous tropical forests. The sanctuary experiences tropical weather throughout the year. In 1930, Dr. Salim Ali, India’s foremost ornithologist, discovered Thattekad as the richest bird habitat of peninsular India and it was deemed as a Bird Sanctuary in 1983. Since the forest is covered with a huge variety of tropical deciduous and evergreen trees, it offers a safe paradise for birds. Hence, it is an interesting place to visit for birdies and wildlife enthusiasts.

The sanctuary is home for about 300 species of birds around the world. There is a deer park and one Taxidermic Museum that showcases the denizens of the region present inside the sanctuary. The flora contains tropical evergreen forests, tropical semi evergreen forests and tropical deciduous forests. Along with this, small patches of grasslands are also found in the area. One can find a wide variety of trees, such as Vellapine, Karanjali, Palley, Kunthirikkam, Bhadraksha, Kanala, Kurangatti, etc. in the tropical evergreen forests of the area. As an evergreen forest region, it is open to visit throughout the year. Anyhow, August to February months are considered the wisest choice to enjoy its full potential. The region has some decent homestays and resorts for the night stay.